A prospective study of the influence of eating-disordered mothers on their children INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS Agras, S., Hammer, L., McNicholas, F. 1999; 25 (3): 253-262

Abstract

This study examined the effects of eating disordered mothers on their children.Women with a past or present eating disorder (ED; N = 41) and non-eating disordered women (NED); N = 153) and their offspring were followed prospectively.Female infants of ED mothers sucked significantly faster and were weaned 9 months later than offspring of NED mothers. ED mothers fed their children on a less regular schedule, used food for nonnutritive purposes, and demonstrated significantly higher concern about their daughters' weight than NED mothers from 2 years of age onward. At 5 years, the offspring of ED mothers were reported to demonstrate greater negative affect than the offspring of NED mothers.The female offspring of ED mothers demonstrate a high avidity for feeding early in life which, combined with increased maternal concern over their daughters weight and the use of food for nonnutritive purposes, may pose a serious risk for the later development of an eating disorder.

View details for Web of Science ID 000079349300002

View details for PubMedID 10191989